1. Field of the Description
The present invention relates, in general, to digital cameras and other portable devices configured for capturing digital photographs and videos such as smartphones, tablets, handheld video games, and the like, and more particularly, to a method and corresponding apparatus for allowing an operator of a digital device to capture a desired shot, image, video, or the like of an event without having to look at a display screen or touchscreen of their portable digital device.
2. Relevant Background.
Today, with advances in technologies and the lowering of prices, nearly everyone uses or at least has access to digital devices that are adapted to perform numerous tasks. For example, many digital devices are designed to perform one main task such as to act as a cellular telephone, to allow an operator to read books and other publications that are in digital form (e.g., electronic books or ebooks), to access the Internet to allow the user to download and watch videos or play games and access numerous websites, and the like. Further, though, it has been common for the digital device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or the like, to also be configured to digitally capture still photographs and/or videos (“digital images”) or, in other cases, the user may use a handheld device specifically designed to be a digital camera to take such digital images. This collection of digital devices may be collectively thought of as or labeled “handheld client devices” or, more simply, “client devices.”
Each of the handheld client devices typically will in fact be a small computer or computing device with one or more processors managing memory (e.g., to store the digital images) and running an operating system (OS) and a software suite. The software suite includes applications such as a browser (e.g., a full HTML web browser) to access the Internet and its voluminous data, but many other applications or “apps” (or “mobile apps”) may be included to perform other tasks such as to provide maps with many mobile digital devices including a GPS navigation unit, to play media such as music and movies, to access email, and so on. The handheld client devices typically will include one or more screens, which may also be touchscreens, to display data and images and to allow the operator of the devices to interact with their devices including initiating and using all of their apps. Commonly used handheld client devices include smartphones, digital cameras, and a wide variety of portable or mobile computers adapted for wireless communications (access to the Internet via WiFi networks) such as tablets, laptops, pads, handheld game consoles and the like.
Handheld client devices have become immensely popular with nearly everyone carrying at least one with them at all times. These devices are useful for making life more enjoyable and for reducing stress such as by making communications easy and allowing the user to efficiently find their way around a new location or city. However, client devices as presently designed often also detract from the user enjoying the present moment or experience. For example, an observer of a crowd at any live event, such as a concert, a parade, a sporting event, a fireworks or light show, a play, a wedding, and so on, will look into a sea of cellphone and tablet screens. This is because a large percentage of the audience is not personally or directly watching and enjoying the live event but, instead, are operating their device to film or capture a still photograph or video of the event to share with others (e.g., quickly post in an online social media service) or to remember the event. The members of the audience want to capture the special moment, but one downside is that much of the audience does not capture it with their own eyes but mediated by or through the screen of their client device.
Hence, there remains a need for methods and systems to assist operators of digital devices or handheld client devices such as smartphones and mobile computers to better capture a photograph and a video (i.e., a digital image(s)). Preferably, the methods and systems would be adapted to allow the user to confidently capture the “perfect shot” of a live event they are attending or participating in without actually needing to look (or continually look) through the screen of their device (e.g., in an “eyes-free manner”).